Clay Dog/pig/bear

Well... The dog is still drying. I struggled with this little guy. Although the paper ball head looked like a dog head, once I wrapped it in clay it looked like a pig. I had to do his face three times before I was even partially ok with him. So as promised, here he is. The last photo is how I was looking at him while I made him, so its my favorite view. Now he just has to make it through the firing without exploding! We shall see...

Oh and funny story, my Mom commented on liking his "circles". I explained that they were his SPOTS. But now I think there will be a little story about Jane and her dog Circle. See Jane. See Circle. See Jane talk to her silly Mom.

Shop dogs

This is a new project I'm working on. I've been seeing adorable sculptures in clay and paper mache of dogs and I wanted to make one. Depending on how long it takes I might make more "pets" for myself and the shop. I somehow managed to get a wad of paper to look like a dogs head. He looks a bit like the dog from "There's Something about Mary" after he flies out the window and has a full body cast.

I can't wait to make and show the finished product.  I had to do a little photo shoot with my actual dogs since they were in the shop with me yesterday. They hated every second of it as they don't tend to get along with other dogs.  I may have chased them with it, making barking sounds, before these photos were taken. They are practicing avoidance.

I am a little sad I can't have actual shop dogs. My two love to bark at everyone. With this new addition to my dog pack I can have a quiet and loyal pet at work.

Explosion Proof

So Brit-iferd (imagine a man with a smoking jacket, monocle and British accent ) and I were having a deeply intellectual conversation about my vent over my kiln. Just so you know Brit-iferd is my Mr. B, my hubster, my -insert code name used by prolific bloggers who refer to their husbands-. I had noticed a sticker on the vent that says "not explosion proof" which sparked (pardon the pun) a hilarious conversation about how things can read differently to others than originally intended.

I read "not explosion proof" to mean that at some point I may be working away in my kiln room and... kaploowey! My vent will randomly explode. The end.

Brit-iferd read it to mean that if I cause an explosion in my building or kiln room through misuse of art supplies that the vent will not survive the blast. That I will be going through all my junk in the kiln room crying over burnt scraps of wood and melted Christmas elves only to discover that while my kiln has survived the blast my vent is beyond repair. Oh the horror!

So, I've been tempted to call the manufacturer and sort out the meaning of their label. It's a little vague and really if it is as I read it... I'd like to know how not to have a vent explosion. Is there a way to prevent it? Then again with all the law suits in the world against businesses for silly things I wonder if they just slap a label like that on anything.

I'm thinking of putting that label on all my art. You decide if I mean it will explode or if there is an explosion that it was not in-fact "explosion proof".

Encaustic boy

This is one of my favorite encaustic pieces I've done to date. I worked and worked on the painting underneath him trying to figure out what to make. Then this boy came out. I love how the texture underneath made the ground look like sand (what I was trying to achieve in color).

He has a good home now, living with a local artist that visits the Art Mill now and again. I'm looking forward to the next encaustic open bar in June. Its so hard to explain the joy of painting with wax but once you try it you will want to try it again and again.

If you didn't know already... we carry R&F encaustic supplies here at the store if you are ever looking for a local source for an amazing product line.

Here is another one of my encaustic creations where I played with blowing it around with the heat gun.

Porcelain experiments

So I've been playing with porcelain and glass and these are my creations so far. I'm a little disappointed in how gray the clay turns out. After the bisque fire (the low firing that you do before glazing) they were bright white but once I fired to temp they were all gray. Ok for the little cups but the glass items were suppose to be for pendants but I don't love them. Guess I have to buy more clay to play with. I was experimenting with a cone 6 clay since I don't want to wear out my kiln trying to fire to cone 10.

If that all seems like gibberish talk to you that's ok. Its gibberish to me too but its like speaking the same language as your dishwasher. I want to wash my dishes on pots and pans with a steam dry and jet dry sparkle wash. See... same thing.  All that really matters is how they look when you open the lid. 

The bird cup is inspired by this artist on etsy. Love her stuff.  I couldn't help but do a bird. I think I might be kindred spirits with this woman as she uses bikes and birds in her work also. Now if only she did silverware on the cups. But then where would that leave me and my work.

Where does the time go!

Our April winner for the reusable Envirosax bags is Barbara. All our winners are chosen by using random.org. Don't forget to check out what we will be giving away in May at www.omahaartmill.com.